lightning-kachow

[lightning-kachow]

"What are you apologizing for?" Lightning said, confused by the sudden change of tone. "That wasn't rambling. We were just talking."

That was something Lightning liked about running. He was a yapper, and maybe that was another trait Cruz inherited from him. Or maybe that was just the fun of running with a friend. Lightning remembered when he used to do this with Wolf at the Inn, long runs where Lightning mostly talked the whole time.

It was cool to do it with Cruz too.

"If you thought that was rambling, you should hear me by the time we get to mile four or five. I can out-talk anyone. Plus, you actually had a point. Which I can't always guarantee I do."

@cruzzramirez

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[lightning-kachow]

"Honestly, Cruz'll do a way better job of explaining things than me. Just have fun with it, kid," Lightning said encouragingly. It had been a long time since he'd managed to get someone interested in the sport. It felt pretty good, honestly. Maybe there was something to the idea of explaining instead of getting annoyed when people didn't know it.

@dragon-not-a-lizard

Dreams Come True | Open

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning was starting to regret bringing this up. Moon said he wasn't making things worse, but Lightning wasn't sure he believed her. It seemed like all of his words were coming out wrong.

These goddamn Swynlake dreams. What were you even supposed to do with them? Lightning had really warmed up to a lot of things about Swynlake, but this brought up a very familiar frustration.

"I don't even know what I'm talking about," Lightning said, shaking his head. "Anyway, we talked about it. So now we should probably just forget it happened. It's not like it means anything."

@menodoramoon

Loose Threads | McCountess

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning couldn't tell which Moon was asking— if the dream was embarrassing, or if the situation was funny. Either way, he felt a bit like he'd misstepped, made himself look like a jerk or an idiot.

"It's not that I was embarrassed that I was in love with you in the dream or anything— I mean, it's weird, like, because we barely know each other in real life, but it's not you— it's just the drama of it all. It's not normally how I roll, the whole dying-confession-of-love thing," Lightning explained quickly. "Sorry, I can't tell if that just made it better or worse. Seriously, I don't mean anything bad by it."

@menodoramoon

Loose Threads | McCountess

[lightning-kachow]

Max spoke about it casually, like it was something that happened to everyone. That made Lightning feel better. No biggie, just an intense dramatic dream about a real person who also experienced that dream.

"Uh, it was, like, medieval times? And I was a tailor or something, and this woman I went on a date with one time, she was like a royal. And she kept coming into my shop, and one day we went out on a walk around, like, the market I guess. Anyway, I ended up having this super dramatic death in her arms or something. Pretty, uh, intense, huh?"

@trackedbymaximus

Dream Sequence | Derby

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning nodded. He'd heard about the American National Dragon, but Lightning had no idea if that guy had done Magick Grand Prix.

He could definitely talk about his childhood hero, though. "João Rodriguez," Lightning said. "That's another name you should Google. Talk about multitalented. Every time his competition thought they had him figured out, he brought out a new strategy. It was incredible to watch."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

Dreams Come True | Open

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning was never totally sure if he was allowed to make those kinds of jokes, since for so long he hadn't been around. And even now, he had no idea if he was doing okay with this having-an-adult-relationship-with-your-estranged-kid thing, or if he was totally fumbling it. So it was always kind of a relief when Cruz made jokes.

He laughed. "I'll take it," Lightning said, also dodging the puddle on the other side. "Your mom's always been that way, you know. Always played it cool. But I always figured she was doing just that— that she was secretly pretty competitive, she was just doing a good job at hiding it."

@cruzzramirez

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[lightning-kachow]

"Uh, yeah, not surprising. I was all... weepy and stuff. Embarrassing!" Lightning joked.

It was kind of true, though. Lightning looked back on that dream and he was embarrassed. Well, he felt a lot of complicated emotions he didn't know how to untangle, but he definitely knew he was embarrassed.

That was why he hadn't reached out to Moon. He assumed that she would think, based on the dream, that this was some over-emotional crap!

He chuckled. "Anyway, we don't have to stay on the topic if you don't want to. I was just saying, it's funny."

@menodoramoon

Loose Threads | McCountess

[lightning-kachow]

"Whoa, no kidding?" Lightning still thought being a Magick Grand Prix star was pretty impressive, but being a National Dragon— or being related to one— that was on another level. "That's seriously impressive. You know, one of my Magick Grand Prix heroes growing up was a younger brother of the Brazilian National Dragon at the time. He was a legend in the sport!"

@dragon-not-a-lizard

Dreams Come True | Open

[lightning-kachow]

Man, it really was early. Lightning had known that when he'd rolled out of bed this morning, and the sound of the rooster crowing and the sun peeking over the fields reminded him of that.

He didn't feel exhausted, though, the way he used to feel when he had to wake up for early flights. He felt energized. Was this another thing about getting older?

Maybe some things about getting older were actually kind of nice.

"I swear, you know everyone in this town," Lightning remarked as the car drove away. "You think you get the popularity gene from me?"

@cruzzramirez

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[lightning-kachow]

"You were distraught about it? I was distraught about it!" Lightning laughed, trying to make this into a joke. Truthfully, he'd woken up pretty freaked-out. Whatever dream potion he'd taken must have gone past its expiration date or something.

So he didn't really know why he was bringing it up now. It just felt like something he should say. But he was starting to wonder if it was a bad idea after all, so he retreated into making jokes and downplaying how he'd felt.

"But yeah, I don't know. We can, if you want. Why not?" Lightning said with a shrug.

@menodoramoon

Loose Threads | McCountess

[lightning-kachow]

It occurred to Lightning that this would be a lot easier if Cruz had business cards or something. Maybe he could suggest that at their next training session. Or did that really make him old-old?

Anyway, he took the kid's phone and typed the email address into it. "I'm Lightning McQueen, by the way. That name probably doesn't mean anything to you now, but maybe give it a Google if you're curious."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

Dreams Come True | Open

[lightning-kachow]

Lightning frowned, considering this. Harv wouldn't have wanted him to do an interview about his injury. She would have wanted him to go on telling everyone that he was back now, that he was fine now, and that he was better than ever, even. "No comment" on anything about his knee.

"What if it just makes me look... old?" Lightning pointed out. "Like, people have been calling for me to retire for years now. I don't want to give them more ammo, talking about my injury."

He knew Georgette was good at this stuff, but she still was pretty young. Harv had a lot more experience than her. Not that Harv was even here... so maybe it was better to trust the publicist he had than wonder about the one he didn't. The one he'd fired, anyway.

@perfectisgeorgette

Media Training | MidQueen

[lightning-kachow]

"I'm not saying we have to," Lightning backpedaled. He hadn't exactly come into this conversation with a plan. It was all an IPA-infused whim, not exactly the best conditions to talk about what kept you up at night.

But then again, maybe it was the best conditions. When else was this gonna come up?

"It's just weird, right? We lived out this dramatic life-and-death doomed love thing the day after we had that date, and then we just never talk about it. I'm not saying it's all on you, by the way. I'm doing the same thing."

@menodoramoon

Loose Threads | McCountess

[lightning-kachow]

"Well, it just so happens that my daughter is a coach in the program," Lightning bragged. "I know, another reason I'm biased. But I really think you'd get a lot out of it. I can give you her email, she can get you all set up."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

Dreams Come True | Open

[lightning-kachow]

Of course— Cruz had a plan. And Lightning felt a little bit silly for not trusting that, considering he'd promised her that he would. So maybe he'd turn down the volume a little bit, even if he felt he could do 75%. He definitely didn't want to be miserable later.

So he just nodded and followed Cruz. He could feel the way his knee moved a little differently now. But it wasn't painful. It was just different.

"I wish they'd just close the streets down now and then," Lightning complained when they got stopped at a traffic light, jogging in place. He wanted just to ignore it, but the cars didn't seem to leave any openings. Plus, he didn't want to endanger Cruz.

@cruzzramirez

Back On The Track || Cruzing

[lightning-kachow]

"You ever had one of those magical dreams with people for Valentine's Day?" he asked. "But, like, not just a normal one— a really intense one, where it's like doomed love and life and death and stuff?"

Lightning couldn't be the only one. If Maximus hadn't, he had to know someone who did.

@trackedbymaximus

Dream Sequence | Derby